The present invention relates to peak-hold circuits, and more particularly to a digital peak-hold circuit for more precise determination of peak values of an input voltage.
A multiple-element display, such as that described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 850,198 filed Apr. 10, 1986 by Edward J. Cleary, Jr. et al entitled "Circuit for Driving a Multiple-Element Display", can incorporate a circuit for determining and displaying precision peak value measurements. Such a multiple-element display displays both an instantaneous value of an input signal and a retained peak value of the input signal. Analog peak-hold circuits use a storage capacitor which gradually decays from the stored peak value, causing the peak indication to drop. Additionally analog circuits are inherently more susceptible to noise pickup, power supply ripple and the like which all contribute to an error in the indicated peak value.
Therefore what is desired is a peak-hold circuit which more closely approximates the ideal without peak value decay or susceptibility to outside disturbances.